How can I update flash player without administration approval?

This is really effing annoying. I even have the admin password but it’s still complicated to figure out. Because when I become the admin, whatever I change is just for the admin settings. Then when I return to my username, it’s just as I left it. So I have no idea what to do. I have Windows XP. It’s my work computer and it’s just a pain when Firefox complains about the flash player being outdated. It makes searching for things a real pain in the ass.